Primary efl teachers diffculties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them

Trang 1 ------ NGUYEN VAN ANH PRIMARY EFL TEACHERS’ DIFFICULTIES IN TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THEM Trang 2 NGUYỄN VÂN ANH Trang 3 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHI

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

English is regarded as an international language, which is the bridge for cooperation and development among countries around the world Therefore, learning and using English is very important In this era of globalization, English is an international language that can be used by all countries in the world In Vietnam, English is the most commonly used foreign language On September 30th, 2008, the Prime Minister signed Decision No 1400/QD-TTG, approving the project

"Teaching and learning foreign languages in the national education system It is also a subject in the final examination in Vietnam, and all students must pass it The role of the teacher is that of a facilitator, helping students learn English Harmer (2008) states that the term "facilitator" is designed to help students learn In learning a foreign language, it is necessary for learners to master language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as components such as vocabulary, structure, and pronunciation Listening is one of the key abilities in learning and imparting English among these four language skills Ur (1989) asserts that teaching listening comprehension is one of the major tasks in TEFL Listening is different from hearing Andrade (2006) defines listening as the ability to hear attentively and to understand what others are saying In addition, Gilakjani and Sabouri (2016) state that listening is a process of receiving what the speaker says, making and showing meaning, negotiating meaning with the speaker and answering, and creating meaning through participation, creativity, and empathy In conclusion, listening is not merely hearing what another speaker is saying, but it is a process of understanding and comprehending what others are saying In order to generate stronger English speakers, listening skills should be taught efficiently in the EFL classroom As Andrade (2006) proposed, listening is a complementary skill to speaking, and it is important to stress listening in teaching English to the students for becoming good speakers When learners have good listening skills, they are exposed to new knowledge and different perspectives Listening skills help people learn from others, expand their knowledge, and develop themselves This can apply in many areas of life, from education to work and personal life

However, teaching listening is neglected in that teachers are generally less aware of its importance for students The teaching of listening is a neglected and poorly taught aspect of English in many EFL programs (Gilakjani & Ahmadi,

2011) Therefore, listening has long been regarded as the most difficult and challenging skill for both foreign language teachers and pupils these days As Bingol, Celik, Yildiz, and Mart (2014) describe, second language learners have significant problems with listening comprehension because of the fact that schools pay more attention to structure, writing, reading, and vocabulary In reality, in many primary schools in Vietnam in general and in Binh Dinh province in particular, teaching English listening skills has not been paid attention Furthermore, in the process of teaching English, teachers encounter many difficulties from the teacher's side and from the learner's side: difficulties in knowledge and skills, difficulties in facilities, and difficulties in terms of time These difficulties come from many different reasons, such as the limited capacity of teachers and the lack of support from the school This affects the effectiveness of students' future English learning and application Therefore, proposing the strategies to overcome challenges and difficulties in the process of teaching listening skills is extremely necessary and urgent for primary schools in Binh Dinh province today

Researching primary school teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills is important in the educational context in Vietnam, especially in Central Vietnam, where culture and education have been developed Despite the increase in educational quality, gaps still exist in the training and development of language skills, especially listening skills Moreover, in Vietnam, the learning culture often focuses on learning foreign languages, in which English plays an important role However, many studies on teaching listening skills at the elementary level are still limited, especially in the context of teaching English as a foreign language Hence, research on teachers' specific difficulties in imparting and developing listening skills in Central Vietnam is currently insufficient to provide the specific guidance and strategies to overcome them

For the above reasons, the author decided to choose the topic: "Primary EFL Teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them " as the research topic for my master's thesis This study deals with teachers' current and potential problems in teaching listening skills in primary schools in Binh Dinh, examines teachers' solutions to these difficulties, and then proposes appropriate teaching methods and strategies that can facilitate English listening lessons The results can provide useful information for English teachers, schools, and the government to create better policies that can improve English language teaching (ELT) in Binh Dinh.

Aim and Objectives of the Study

The study aims to investigate EFL teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and their strategies to overcome them

In order to achieve this aim, the researcher will try to fulfill the following objectives:

The first research objective is to investigate EFL teacher’s perceptions of difficulties in teaching listening skills

The second research objective is to discover the factors affecting on difficulties in teaching listening skills

The third research objective is to examine their strategies to overcome them.

Research Questions

In order to achieve the above aim and objectives, the researcher will collect data and analyze it in order to answer the following questions:

1 What are EFL teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills?

2 What do the teachers consider as the factors causing these difficulties?

3 What strategies do they adopt to deal with these difficulties?

Significance of the Study

The current study may make both theoretical and practical contributions Theoretically, while much research has been conducted to find out EFL teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills, there are still few studies to be done in Vietnam Therefore, it may make a small contribution to provide valuable information that significantly contributes to finding out the challenges encountered by teachers in teaching listening skills in EFL primary school contexts The study can be used to develop further knowledge on the topic Practically, knowing that teaching listening skills is a considerable challenge may help EFL teachers come up with possible solutions to overcome them Teachers can verify their current principles and practices of teaching in order to prepare materials or adapt listening activities in course books to meet students' needs and expectations.

Scope of the Study

Due to the research conditions, it is impossible to carry out the research in a large-scale investigation of 52 primary teachers from ten schools in Binh Dinh province, including: Nhon Ly Primary School, Nhon Hoi Primary School, Le Hong Phong Primary School, Hoang Quoc Viet Primary School, Le Primary School Hong Phong, Ly Thuong Kiet Primary School, Ngo May Primary School, Le Loi Primary School, Ngo Quyen Primary School, and Bui Thi Xuan Primary School Instead, this research is conducted with EFL teachers who have been teaching English to 5th grade students in Quy Nhon City The study focuses on examining current issues with teaching English listening and identifies the solutions suggested by educators Furthermore, the study has made several recommendations to help improve the quality of teaching English listening skills.

Structure of the Thesis

The study of EFL teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them at primary schools in Binh Dinh province is divided into five chapters: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings and Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications

Chapter 1, Introduction, presents the rationale, which introduces the reasons why the researcher chose to conduct the study, the aim and objectives, the research questions, the scope, the significance, the definition of important terms, and the structure of the thesis

Chapter 2, Literature Review and Theoretical Background, shows some previous relevant studies and relevant theoretical background for the study

Chapter 3, Methodology, explains the research methods Firstly, it presents the research approach Secondly, it describes the participants Thirdly, it introduces the research instruments used to collect data Lastly, this chapter comes to an end with the procedure for conducting the study

Chapter 4, Findings and Discussion, reports the results of the study First of all, the reliability of the instruments is introduced Then, the information collected from the observations and questionnaire is analyzed Finally, the data from the interview is analyzed in order to give an in-depth explanation of the findings of the study

Chapter 5, Conclusion and Implications, concludes the report of the study

First, it summarizes the main findings of the study Then, it suggests the research implications Finally, the limitations of the study and the suggestions for future research make up the last part of this chapter.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definitions of Listening

Listening is one of the most fundamental and inseparable skills of teaching and learning of English It is a primary language skill for foreign language learners to acquire Similarly, listening refers to the ability that enables the learners to identify and understand the natural or recorded speech of someone Speech involves pronunciation of consonant and vowel sounds, stress, rhythm and intonation So, listening is directly related to these aspects of speech Khaniya (2005, p.124) said; Listening is a complex process In listening, the listener receives the incoming data, an acoustic signal and interprets it on the basis of a wide variety of linguistic and nonlinguistic knowledge The linguistic knowledge includes knowledge of phonology, lexis, syntax, semantics, discourse structure, pragmatics ad sociolinguistics The non-linguistic knowledge includes knowledge of the topic, the context and general knowledge about the world and how they work Chastain

(1971) defined listening as the ability to understand native speech at normal speed Morley (1999) said that listening involves auditory discrimination, aural grammar, selecting necessary information, remembering it, and connecting it to the process between sound and form of meaning Likewise, Richards et al (1999, p.16) delineated listening as “the process of understanding speech in a second or foreign language” Similarly, in Underwood’s (1989, p.1) words, “Listening is the activity of paying attention to and trying to get meaning from something we hear.” Anyway, we receive messages or information through listening It is taken to mean trying to understand the oral message people are conveying Listening is a basic skill to be developed for language learners The learners cannot learn languages without proper development of listening Morris and Leavey (2006) mentioned that language learning depends greatly on listening due to the fact that it is the skill that provides the primary impulse that initiates first, second and foreign language learning

Anderson & Lynch (1988) defined successful listening as follows:

"Understanding is not something that happens because of what a speaker says: the listener has a crucial part to play in the process, by activating various types of knowledge, and by applying what he knows to what he hears and trying to understand what the speaker means." Today, we realize that listening is an active process, and that good listeners are active listeners To be well in listening, listeners must have the capability of analyzing and deciphering the massage sent, and the ability of applying strategies and skills to get meaning, and the ability to make the replying in many ways, basing on the content, the theme and the aim of the conversation Listening also strongly relates to thoughts, emotions and intentions

In conclusion, listening is a process of identifying and understanding what the speakers say, which includes understanding a speaker’s pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary Listeners have to know how to conduct and do the process under the circumstance in an active way, not make listening viewed as a passive process

Listening plays an important role in second-language instruction for several reasons (Rost, 2002) It is the first language mode that children acquire, and it provides the foundation of all aspects of language and cognitive development It also plays a lifelong role in the processes of communication Wilt (1950) found that people listen 45% of the time they spend communicating, speak 30% of communication time, read 16%, and write 9% People are not typically taught how to listen effectively In school, they are taught speaking, reading, and writing skills, but there are few courses devoted to listening Moreover, most people are so busy talking or thinking about what they are going to say next that they miss out on many wonderful opportunities to learn about new things, ideas, and people Listening provides comprehensible input for the learner, which is essential for any learning to occur Second, learners need to interact with speakers to achieve understanding Third, listening exercises help learners draw their attention to new forms (vocabulary, grammar, interaction patterns) in the language Listening comprehension is essential for language acquisition and the development of other language skills (Krashen, 1989) Theoretical explanations of listening comprehension can provide clues about the problems that learners face when listening to a spoken text However, these insights cannot fully explain these problems Vogely (1995) states, "We still need research that empirically documents the relationship between what theory says and what learners actually know and do."

To locate the sources of listening comprehension problems, we need to consider the discourse itself in the context of the classroom

Although a number of studies have been conducted on students' listening comprehension, few have explored the difficulties that primary EFL teachers face in teaching listening skills Therefore, there is still a need to investigate teachers' listening difficulties Little research has focused on the difficulties encountered by teachers As a result, this paper attempts to investigate the listening problems encountered by primary teachers in Binh Dinh Province

Listening is the most frequently used language skill (Morley, 2001) Bird

(1953) found that female college students spent 42% of their total verbal communication time listening, 25% speaking, 15% reading, and 18% writing

Thus, the importance of listening in classroom instruction has been less emphasized than reading and writing Nevertheless, it is evident that listening plays a significant role in people's lives Listening is even more important for the lives of students since listening is used as a primary medium of learning at all levels.

Principles of Teaching English Listening Skills

Teaching listening is the active process of receiving and responding to spoken language, where the teacher is the speaker and the student is the listener in the process of direct listening instruction Broughton et al (1980, p 65) state that listening calls for active participation in the communication between the participants and a receptive skill is involved in understanding the message In listening, there are three main types (Harmer, 2007): Extensive listening is listening to audio material for pleasure or some other reason It can be done outside of the classroom, such as listening to English-language films with subtitles Intensive listening is listening to audio material with the specific purpose of improving listening skills It typically takes place in the classroom, with the teacher guiding students through the listening task Live listening is listening to a speaker in person

It can be used to simulate real-world listening situations

Besides, teaching listening is the process of engaging students in processing messages as they come, processing what they heard without looking forward Teaching listening is an active process of receiving and responding to spoken language, where the teacher is the speaker and the student is the listener in the process of direct listening instruction ( Aryana & Apsari, 2018)

Based on the definitions above, it can be concluded that teaching listening entails delivering some material by giving the understanding of the language system It also involves how we apply this knowledge of the language system to understand or convey meaning and how we apply particular skills to understand and convey meaning

In order to teach any language skill, it is crucial for teachers to follow the principles for teaching that skill successfully and methodically Students find it difficult to do or understand something without being taught There must be a teacher who teaches them to make them understand Brown (2001) defines teaching as showing or helping someone to learn how to do something, giving instructions, guiding in the study of something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand Listening has also been considered from a broader perspective in recent years when it is examined in relation not only to comprehension, but also to language learning Teaching listening requires more on the part of the teacher than that of the learners One of the key principles of teaching listening is that language material intended for use in training listening comprehension should never be presented visually first Good listening lessons go beyond the main listening task itself with pre-listening and post-listening activities This means that the teaching of listening should go beyond understanding to action

In teaching listening skill, there are certain principles that teachers need to know in order to create their own techniques, activities, and philosophy towards teaching listening skills (Brown & Abeywickrama 2010)) These principles include: Including a focus on listening in an integrated-skills course: Listening should not be taught in isolation from other language skills; using techniques that are intrinsically motivating: Listening activities should be engaging and interesting to students; utilizing authentic language and contexts: Listening materials should be authentic and relevant to students' interests; carefully considering the form of listeners' responses: Teachers should provide opportunities for students to respond to listening activities in a variety of ways; encouraging the development of listening strategies: Teachers should help students develop strategies for listening effectively; including both bottom-up and top-down listening techniques: Teachers should use a variety of listening techniques, including bottom-up and top-down approaches Forseth et al (1996, p 72) suggest seven principles for teaching listening skills, including: using authentic texts and present them naturally and realistically This means using real-world listening materials, such as conversations, lectures, news broadcasts, and songs The materials should be presented in a natural way, with background noise or interruptions, and different voice types and accents; including a variety of text types This will help students get used to listening to different types of speech and avoid boredom Some examples of text types include conversations, dialogues, jokes, lectures, news broadcasts, songs, and narratives; using primarily meaning-based tasks This means that the tasks should focus on understanding the meaning of the text, rather than just the details For students at lower levels, some tasks may not be meaning-based, but the longer-term goal is to use language for communication; stating a specific purpose for the listening task This will help students focus their attention and know what they are listening for The task should be designed to practice one or more listening subskills, such as skimming, scanning, or total comprehension; introducing the listening task before asking students to listen This will help them to focus their attention and know what they are listening for; pre-teaching only the vocabulary that is necessary for understanding the main idea of the text This will help students to focus on the meaning of the text and avoid getting bogged down in unfamiliar vocabulary; allowing students to listen to the text more than once This is especially important for students who are still developing their listening skills Often, listeners will not catch the full meaning of the text the first time they hear it

Harmer (2007) claims that there are various principles of teaching listening, as follows:

For using a tape recorder as a learning tool: Before starting learning activities, teachers should check the functionality of the tape recorder to ensure that the audio can be heard clearly by all students in the classroom Another important feature is a visible tape counter, which makes it easier for teachers to replay the recording for the second or third time

Preparation is necessary: Both teachers and students need to be prepared before starting the class Teachers need to listen to the tape all the way through before the class begins to check for any problems, such as noise or accents They can also make copies of the audio for all students Students need to be made ready to listen This means that they may need to look at pictures, discuss the topic, or read the questions first Give students several minutes to get ready before the audio is played

One listening is not enough: There are almost no occasions when teachers will play the audio recording only once Students will want to hear it again to get what they missed the first time The first listening is often just to give students an idea or general overview of the content of the audio Once students have listened to an audio two or three times, they will probably not want to hear it too many more times

Drawing out the meaning: The most important part of listening practice is to draw out the meaning of the text, what is intended, and what impression it makes on the students Students should be encouraged to respond to the content of the listening, not just the language

Different listening stages demand different listening tasks: Teachers need to set different tasks for different listening stages This means that for the first listening, the tasks need to be quite straightforward and general This way, students can focus on understanding the general meaning of the text Later listening may focus on details of information, language use, pronunciation, etc

Good teachers exploit listening texts to the full: After an initial play of the tape, teachers can play it again for several different types of study before using the subject matter, situation, or tape script for a new activity This way, listening becomes an important event in a teaching sequence rather than just an exercise by itself

Dornyei (2007) stated seven principles for teaching listening, which are:

Using authentic materials: Teachers should use real-world listening materials, such as conversations, lectures, news broadcasts, and songs These materials should be presented naturally, with background noise or interruptions, and different voice types and accents

Including a variety of text types: Teachers should include a variety of text types, such as conversations, dialogues, jokes, lectures, news broadcasts, songs, and narratives This will help students get used to listening to different types of speech and avoid boredom

Using meaning-based tasks: Teachers should use tasks that focus on understanding the meaning of the text, rather than just the details For lower-level learners, some tasks may not be meaning-based, but the long-term goal is to use language for communication

Stating a specific purpose for the listening task: Teachers should state a specific purpose for the listening task, such as understanding the main idea, following instructions, or answering questions This will help students focus their attention and know what they are listening for

Introducing the listening task: Teachers should introduce the listening task before asking students to listen This will help students focus their attention and know what they are listening for

Listening Methods

In the methods of teaching listening skills, there are some modern methods, such as: Interpersonal activities are one effective and non-threatening way for students to develop stronger listening skills These activities can include mock interviews and storytelling (Switzer, 2007) Group activities also serve as a helpful method for teaching listening skills to students

Field (2009) have said that listening strategies can be divided into three types: Metacognitive strategies are those that involve planning for, monitoring, or evaluating the success of a listening activity Cognitive strategies are those that involve directly attending to incoming information and manipulating it in ways that enhance learning Social-affective strategies are those that involve interacting with another person to assist learning

Listening is an active process by which we make sense of, assess, and respond to what we hear It is a complex skill that involves many different cognitive processes The five periods of the listening process are:

Receiving: It refers to the response caused by sound waves to the ear of listener It is the physical response

Understanding: At this stage, you learn what the speaker means through the thoughts and emotional tone It is crucially important to communication process and exists in all speech

Evaluating: This stage is mostly executed by conscious awareness, consists of judging the messages in some way Meanwhile, you might try to penetrate the speaker’s underlying intentions or motives

Remembering: Remembering is needed for maintaining conversation because it means that a message has not only been delivered and interpreted but also added to the listener mind’s storage bank Since human is moral and our attention is selective, it caused that while we are in con- versation, just some of information are collective in our internal memory Consequently, what is remembered might be quite different from what was originally seen or heard

Responding: In the conversation, with the aim of informing to speakers, whether the message has been received, the listeners have to send feedback through verbal or nonverbal method That is necessary for prolonging the conversation

In conclusion, listening is the psychological process of receiving, attending to, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken or nonverbal messages.

Stages of Teaching Listening Comprehension

The stages in listening comprehension lectures can be understood in two main teaching approaches, including the direct approach and the natural approach

The direct approach is a way of clearly defining teaching goals, using specific teaching techniques, and preparing professional lectures, including introducing vocabulary and knowledge before listening Meanwhile, the natural approach focuses on natural and realistic communication Instead of focusing on grammatical structures, it aims to develop listening skills through natural communication activities There are three stages of an effective listening comprehension lesson: pre-listening (direct), while-listening (direct), and post- listening (natural) During the pre-listening stage, teachers should provide students with real-world situations to motivate them to listen (Field, 2002) Furthermore, it is necessary to activate students' existing knowledge related to the language and topic at this stage (Underwood, 1989) However, it is advisable to spend no more than five minutes during this stage, as this may cause students to lose interest (Field,

2002) Pre-listening activities often involve tasks such as brainstorming vocabulary, looking at pictures, or discussing the topic of the listening text (Field, 2002) In addition, it is important to provide students with the purpose of the listening tasks at this stage, rather than asking them to answer the questions that will be asked later (Field, 2002) In other words, students should be informed of the comprehension questions that will be answered or what they are required to do when listening The while-listening stage can involve extensive or intensive listening (Field, 2002) Extensive listening is viewed as listening to a text for pleasure without focusing on the details In contrast, during intensive listening, listeners try to obtain detailed information from the listening text (Rixon, 1986) Mendelsohn (1995) points out that it is necessary to expose students to a great deal of real-world listening during a listening comprehension course, particularly extensive and intensive listening Additionally, students may listen to a text more than once to compensate for the absence of visual and contextual clues (Ur, 1984) Furthermore, Underwood (1989) emphasizes that the purpose of the while-listening stage is to help students acquire the relevant messages from the listening text Therefore, while-listening activities should be easy to complete and enjoyable to engage in, as it is important to motivate students rather than test their comprehension at this stage (Underwood, 1989) During this stage, students may be required to fill in a form, complete drawings or diagrams, or draw shapes on a picture (Field, 2002) The post-listening stage is where students have the opportunity to reflect on what they have heard and to consolidate their learning This can be done through activities such as answering questions, summarizing the main points, or discussing the listening text with their peers (Field, 2002) It is important to provide students with feedback on their performance at this stage, so that they can learn from their mistakes and improve their listening skills (Field, 2002) During the post-listening stage of a listening lesson, it is important to assess whether the students' expectations were met or what potential problems they may have encountered Furthermore, the type of assessment that is used will depend on the students' goals If the students' goal is to study for a listening comprehension test, it is appropriate to ask multiple-choice or other types of questions during this stage (Underwood, 1989) In addition, the teacher may integrate listening with other language skills, such as group discussion or writing tasks (Underwood, 1989) Additionally, during this stage, teachers should provide students with immediate feedback on their answers, as the relevant information is still fresh in their minds (Underwood, 1989).

Teacher’s Role in Teaching Listening

Teachers have a major responsibility in their classrooms, and they can have a great effect on their students by creating a friendly atmosphere Harmer (1991) and Macháčková (2009) identified some main roles for teachers:

Firstly, the teacher's role in instructing students on how to listen attentively and effectively is similar to that of a tour guide guiding visitors on a journey of discovery The teacher is not simply a conveyor of information but also a guide for students in exploring the world of voice and sound Teachers help students master basic listening techniques, including focusing on important information, identifying keywords, and distinguishing between key information and redundant information This enables students to focus on sounds and contextual information They can introduce practical techniques such as focusing on the main voice, turning off noise, and creating a quiet environment for listening Besides, teachers encourage students to take notes on important points during the listening process Taking notes helps students summarize and retain information, making it easy to access later In addition, teachers also help students create connections between ideas in the listening lesson They teach how to recognize connections between information, ideas, and situations to build a comprehensive picture of the content

Secondly, teachers play an important part in creating learning content to carry out teaching activities effectively To accomplish this, teachers must select listening materials appropriate to students' level, age, and learning goals, including audio recordings, songs, podcasts, videos, or newsletters appropriate to the learning content Besides, teachers must carry out the lesson preparation process creatively They can add interactive elements, exercises, and discussions to the listening material to make it interesting and help students stimulate curiosity and exploration

In addition, teachers prepare related exercises for students to practice listening skills These exercises may include answering questions, having group discussions, or writing summaries of the listening content (Mendelsohn, 1994)

Thirdly, the teachers are the ones who directly teach listening skills, such as analyzing intonation, vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to understand contexts Teachers help students analyze factors such as intonation and the impact of vocabulary on the meaning of the listening text They explain how a particular word or phrase can change the meaning of an entire paragraph This helps students recognize important elements in the listening text and grasp the main meaning Besides, grammar is an important part of the listening lesson; the teacher explains and illustrates how to use grammar in real-life contexts They can choose examples from the listening text to help students clearly understand how grammar applies to everyday communication The teacher also creates opportunities for students to understand the context surrounding the listening passage by explaining the speaker, the purpose of the conversation, and the situation occurring in the listening passage Understanding context helps students not only listen but also evaluate information from a broader perspective It is clear that the teacher's role in teaching listening skills is not limited to conveying information but also extends to helping students develop the ability to analyze, reason, and apply listening skills to reality (Canagarajah, 2010)

Fourthly, teachers play an extremely important role in assessing students' listening abilities through tests and exercises This role not only helps determine students' levels of understanding and development but also provides opportunities for them to improve their listening skills Typically, teachers use tests and exercises to determine students' progress in listening skills Through assessment, they can know what level students have achieved and where they need to improve This helps create a clear path to support personalized learning After students complete a test or assignment, the teacher provides constructive and specific feedback This feedback helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses in listening skills They know where they did well and what they need to improve This is quite important so students know how to focus on areas that need improvement.

Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

When teaching listening skills in the process of teaching English or any other foreign language, teachers often face a series of difficulties and challenges Listening plays an important role in understanding and using language, and developing it can be difficult (Canagarajah, 2010) Below are common difficulties teachers encounter in the process of teaching listening skills:

For difficulty in recognizing students' listening abilities and psychology:

Difficulties in identifying students' listening and mental abilities often stem from the diversity of the classroom Each student has different listening abilities and levels of understanding, so assessing correctly and fairly is the challenge for teachers Hence, teachers need to establish supportive environments that help students overcome these difficulties and develop their listening abilities

For the difficulties in designing attractive and useful lessons:

Designing attractive and useful lessons to teach listening skills makes teachers face many difficulties because it requires a special combination of knowledge, skills, and creativity The teachers must determine how to present listening material in an engaging and effective way This requires the ability to select material with the appropriate tone and voice for the student's level, along with organizing information logically and clearly This can become more complicated when teachers have to make connections between listening material and students' daily lives This is a complex process that requires mastery of many factors to ensure that students can understand and practice listening skills effectively Furthermore, differences in student interests and abilities can sometimes create challenges in creating lessons that are engaging and useful to all students (Celce et al., 2016)

For the difficulties in assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills:

Assessing listening skills is more complex than assessing other skills because it involves hearing and understanding information Besides, assessing student progress may require creativity in creating the appropriate tests or assignments In addition, feedback requires teachers to be able to specifically analyze students' weaknesses in listening skills and suggest ways to improve This can create pressure and waste time and effort for teachers

For the difficulties in maintaining student’s attention and participation throughout the lesson:

When students are not focused or do not have a positive attitude toward learning the English listening skill, they may miss important information in listening materials and not take learning activities seriously This poses a challenge for teachers to maintain student focus and engagement throughout the lesson If students are not paying attention, it will create distractions and affect the teaching and learning process of the entire class Hence, the teachers have to spend much time and energy managing the classroom and staying focused, thereby creating pressure for them

For the difficulties in explaining and supporting students in understanding and remembering the new vocabulary:

When students have difficulty understanding the new vocabulary, they may not be able to understand an important part of the content of the listening material This requires the teacher to spend time explaining and clarifying the meaning of each vocabulary word, which can interrupt the listening process and make the process of teaching the main content difficult (Fromkim, 2014)

These result in them being inattentive and not actively participating in listening and learning From then on, the teachers are faced with supporting students in overcoming this mental difficulty Besides, if students do not understand and remember the new vocabulary, they will have difficulty applying it in practice and in future learning activities This can affect students' ability to use vocabulary in listening, communication, or writing It is clear that those students' difficulties in understanding and remembering the new vocabulary can cause many challenges for teachers in the process of teaching listening skills, from explaining to supporting students

For the difficulties in providing individual support for students with the poor ability to listen and distinguish sounds:

Listening and distinguishing sounds is the basis for language modeling and vocabulary development Difficulties in this ability can affect a student's ability to understand and use language accurately and confidently (Murphy, 1991)

When students have difficulty listening and distinguishing sounds, they can easily lose focus in class This requires teachers to devote time and energy to maintaining student focus Furthermore, each student has different needs and learning speeds When students have difficulty listening, teachers need to find ways to design lectures to make them easier to listen to and understand, which requires a lot of creativity and effort Thus, the teachers face many challenges in providing individualized support to students to ensure that all students have the opportunity to develop their listening skills

2.6.3 Difficulties in Knowledge and Skills

For the difficulties in developing and improving their language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively:

To teach listening skills effectively, the teachers need to master grammar and sentence structure They must be able to analyze and interpret sentence structure in listening material, which requires a deep understanding of the language; they must have an understanding of vocabulary, how to use it in context, and how to pronounce it correctly; they must be able to distinguish sounds and recognize elements such as tone, intonation, and grammar in speech, etc If the teachers lack knowledge of the language, it will cause misunderstandings and difficulties in conveying information to students Improving language knowledge to teach listening skills requires teachers to invest time and effort to develop, maintain, and update language knowledge and participate in advanced courses to teach listening skills effectively (Jennifer, 2016)

For the difficulties in practicing the listening and teaching skills:

In the process of teaching listening skills to students, distinguishing tone, intonation, and language structure in speech are extremely important It requires time and concentration from the teacher If teachers cannot differentiate between these sounds and elements, they may not be able to convey information accurately to students, making the lesson vague and confusing

In addition, the teachers need to develop their teaching skills so that information is communicated clearly and effectively They also need to be confident in pronunciation and language communication Gabrilla (2021) states that the poor teaching and communication skills of teachers can lead to misunderstandings and a loss of student interest in learning to listen Furthermore, teaching listening skills requires classroom management abilities to ensure concentration and positive interaction The teachers need to know how to maintain order and student participation throughout the listening process Along with that, the teachers need to encourage interaction between students in the classroom This requires teachers to practice many other soft skills and create opportunities for discussion, exchange of ideas, and group work

For the difficulties in using available materials or textbooks to teach the listening skill:

Using available materials or textbooks to teach listening skills can be difficult for teachers Some documents are old and not suitable for the specific students This forces teachers to take the time to find materials that are of good quality and relevant to their learning goals Besides, each class has its own characteristics, including different ages, levels, and learning needs The available materials may not be appropriate for the teacher's target audience, making their use difficult Therefore, the teachers need to modify and adjust them to ensure they fit the learning content and goals of the specific classroom This requires time, creativity, a deep understanding of the content and context of the material, developing learning activities, and scheduling time for lectures (Feyten, 1991)

For the difficulties in using modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students:

The use of modern devices can cause some difficulties for teachers when teaching listening skills to students Some teachers may not be comfortable using modern equipment, such as computers, projectors, or language learning software If they do not know how to use these tools effectively, they will cope with the difficulties in the teaching process

Furthermore, modern devices can cause unexpected technical problems, such as computer crashes, loss of network connection, or software errors These incidents can disrupt the teaching process and distract students

Additionally, the use of modern equipment can make teachers dependent on technology If devices do not work or are not available, the teachers may have difficulty carrying out the planned lessons

For the difficulties in term of time when teaching the listening skills to students:

Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Teaching Listening Skills

Some factors affecting the effectiveness of teaching the listening skills include:

Firstly, the teacher's capacity plays an important role in teaching listening skills When teachers master knowledge of language and listening skills, they can guide students effectively However, lack or limited language knowledge and understanding of how language works, sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and the ability to distinguish sounds affects confidence in using language to teach and support students Lack of knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary can make it difficult for teachers to explain sentence structure or the meaning of individual words in listening material Furthermore, limitations in distinguishing sounds can make it impossible for teachers to point out the differences between English sounds, leading to inaccurate information being conveyed to students

Furthermore, a lack of understanding of how language works can make it difficult to design lessons, choose appropriate listening materials, and develop learning activities If teachers cannot understand how the language model works in the material, communication and teaching will become ineffective In summary, a lack of knowledge about the linguistic aspects of teaching English listening skills can create many difficulties, from explaining and presenting listening material to lesson design and student support Therefore, the teachers need to master these aspects to ensure the teaching process takes place effectively

Secondly, students' attention, participation, and cooperation play an important part in the teacher's process of teaching listening skills, and they directly affect the effectiveness of listening learning Students who focus on the listening content can easily understand and remember the information Besides, the concentration helps them follow and grasp important details in listening material, improving their ability to listen and understand the content However, if students do not focus on the listening content, they may miss important information and not be able to fully understand the material This can reduce the effectiveness of the lecture and hinder the process of learning listening skills (Marilyn, 2018)

Students participate actively by answering questions, participating in discussions, and participating in activities related to listening materials that provide opportunities for them to practice their listening skills and develop their communication abilities However, students who do not participate or participate actively in listening activities can lose the attractiveness of the lecture They may just sit still and not contribute to the lesson, reducing opportunities to develop listening skills In addition, collaboration in the process of learning to listen helps them share opinions and thoughts and work together to learn and solve difficulties in understanding listening material If students do not cooperate with each other in listening and discussing listening material, they may miss the opportunity to take advantage of the knowledge and perspectives of their peers Failure to cooperate may affect their development in understanding and applying knowledge

Thirdly, the supporting from the school also effects in the effectiveness of teaching the listening skills Schools have an important role in influencing teachers' effectiveness in teaching listening skills by creating the learning environment, providing materials, and supporting teachers in the teaching process By providing the right materials and modern equipment, building a good learning environment, and providing classroom management support, schools can help teachers improve teaching effectiveness and provide a great learning experience for students

Lack of funding and quality listening materials can reduce teachers' ability to teach listening skills An insufficient learning environment, a lack of learning equipment, or not ensuring quiet and comfort can reduce the effectiveness of lectures Or a lack of training and professional development opportunities may leave teachers lacking the knowledge and skills needed to teach listening skills effectively

Fourthly, colleagues are also one of the factors that significantly influence teachers' effectiveness in teaching listening skills Sharing knowledge, supporting creative thinking, and creating a positive learning environment can improve the quality of listening skills instruction for students On the contrary, a lack of support or unhealthy competition makes teachers feel lonely and makes it difficult to improve their listening skills; it also affects mental health and reduces teachers' confidence and motivation when teaching listening skills.

Strategies to Overcome Teachers’ Difficulties in Teaching Listening

According to Bueno (2006), to help teachers overcome difficulties and challenges in the process of teaching listening, it is necessary to implement some of the following strategies:

The schools need to provide the appropriate materials and modern and advanced teaching tools Providing quality listening materials that are appropriate to the age and level of students is very important for teachers and students Schools need to invest in purchasing textbooks, videos, and academic audio so that teachers have diverse resources to use in teaching Schools should invest in facilities, including computers, projectors, speakers, and headphones, to create a good learning environment

This environment needs to be comfortable and appropriate so that students can focus on listening and understanding Moreover, the schools should also ensure that the school library has enough appropriate listening materials to effectively teach listening skills, helping teachers provide a good learning experience for students

Besides, the schools should train and develop skills for the teachers The schools need to organize training courses and professional development programs for teachers This helps them master effective listening and teaching methods and skills These trainings involve the use of technology, segmenting listening material, and giving feedback to students Organizing training courses and professional development programs helps improve teachers' capacity to teach listening skills Furthermore, the school supports teachers so they can apply new teaching methods and improve the quality of lessons

The schools also support the teachers for classroom management: The school has a role in supporting teachers for classroom management They can provide guidance and support on how to address behavior and classroom management issues, help teachers focus on teaching effectively, and help teachers build a peaceful, calm, and focused learning environment The school provides training courses and guidance to help teachers manage student behavior effectively and then help lessons run smoothly (Field, 2009)

In addition, it is necessary for the schools to organize the extracurricular activities and seminars: Schools should regularly encourage teachers to participate in extracurricular activities, seminars, and activities for sharing experiences with colleagues in the field of English teaching This helps the teacher access new teaching methods and experiences, thereby improving the quality of listening teaching activities Besides, the teachers can participate in competitions and seminars on foreign language teaching to share successes and challenges in the foreign language teaching process

The teachers need to participate in training courses and professional development programs Teachers should take advantage of training courses and professional development programs related to teaching listening skills This strategy helps teachers’ master new and progressive methods in the field of teaching listening skills Besides, it provides teachers with opportunities to learn and develop professionally Thanks to training courses, they can access new knowledge and skills, thereby improving the quality of lectures and helping students develop better listening skills

In addition, the teachers have to know how to use technology effectively Technology is a useful tool in teaching listening skills Teachers can use applications and software that help create interactive and interesting lessons based on audio and video This strategy facilitates students' learning and helps them practice their listening skills effectively Besides, the technology provides opportunities for teachers to design creative and interactive learning materials, thereby creating excitement and discovery in the learning process

The teachers should give many opportunities for students to practice listening skills, which aredone through discussion activities, presentations, or creating real-life situations for students to apply the knowledge they have learned This strategy helps students apply knowledge from lessons into practice and develop listening skills naturally In addition, practicing the listening skill helps students feel and become familiar with real-life situations they may encounter when using listening skills in everyday life

Moreover, the teachers need to select and use the materials, which are appropriate to the age and level of students They also need to ensure that the material is interesting and fosters student curiosity Instead of having students listen to an entire song or long news story, teachers can divide the listening material into smaller parts After each section, they can ask students about the content to make sure they have understood it before moving on Segmenting listening material helps students access information more easily The teacher breaks down the listening material to help students focus on each part and clearly understand the content before moving on This helps build confidence and exploration going into the next part of the lesson

Furthermore, the teacher should give feedback and monitoring student progress regularly after each lesson This helps students know their strengths and weaknesses in listening skills and have opportunities for improvement, thereby helping them to improve each aspect of their listening skills in an instructive and effective way Besides, teachers should regularly monitor students' progress in listening skills by organizing regular tests and assessments Through tests and assessments, teachers can evaluate students' abilities and adjust teaching methods and learning materials when necessary (Gilakjani & Ahmadi, 2011)

The parents should support their children for extracurricular learning, encouraging their children to listen to news, podcasts, and movies or TV shows in English outside of school hours to improve their listening skills They can participate in this activity with their children and discuss the content afterwards to improve their children's understanding of English The role of parents is to create interest and motivate their children to study extracurricular (Harmer, 2008)

Along with that, the parents need to practice the listening skills with their children Parents can promote listening skills practice at home by listening with their children and discussing the content afterward This helps students practice and improves their listening ability naturally The role of parents in this strategy is to provide support and create favorable conditions for their children to develop listening skills

Also, the parents should support from reference materials Parents can help students use dictionaries and reference materials to help them understand and differentiate difficult vocabulary and grammar in listening materials The role of parents is to provide support and guidance when their child has language difficulties

It is necessary for the parents to perform checks regularly The parents can support the administration of regular tests or assessments to monitor students' progress in listening skills They can support their children in reviewing and preparing for these tests to ensure success in learning listening skills Thus, the parent provides support and direction so that their children are able to achieve good results in the listening examination in the class.

Review of Previous Studies

The problems with teaching and learning listening skills have attracted the attention of many researchers

Firstly, one such study was conducted by Resti Adriani (2018), who investigated the difficulties faced by English teachers in teaching listening comprehension at preschool pedagogy 2 Batusangkar The result of the research can be elaborated as follows: 1) Students find it difficult to understand if the teacher uses native speaker recordings; 2) Students lack facility; 3) Environment can cause students to understand materials; 4) Students have less concentration; 5) Need more time for teaching listening, 6) Students need to hear the recording more than two times; 7) lack of vocabulary; 8) difficulty understanding the listening source; 9) it is not easy to copy what the speaker said onto paper

Secondly, Sema Yukselci (2003) entitled "Teachers' Practices and Perceptions Regarding Listening Strategies and Perceptions of Difficulties Likely to Arise in English Listening Comprehension Lessons" found that teachers faced several challenges in teaching listening comprehension, including: 1) the difficulty of listening materials for students; 2) the dependence on ready-made materials; and 3) the need for a richer repertoire of listening activities Besides, the study has proposed strategies, such as: organizing training courses for teachers to provide effective listening teaching skills and strategies; using sources like videos, podcasts to diversify students' listening experiences; organizing group interactive activities to help students exchange opinions and knowledge after listening, thereby improving their ability to understand and use language, etc to overcome teachers' difficulties during teaching the listening skill

Thirdly, Hien (2015) conducted research entitled "Difficulties and Strategies in Listening Comprehension" The author recognized that the problems in listening were accompanied by the four following factors: the message, the speaker, the listener, and the physical setting Furthermore, the research has been carried out to identify the problem of listening It was not only that the difficulties came from the message, the listener, or the speaker, but also from the environment surrounding the students If the listening task was carried out with noises around, it was for sure that they did not have a good result in listening First, they were distracted by the noise, no matter how hard they tried to focus on the task Otherwise, the noise made a complex of sounds instead of the solo recording being played This interrupts the students from hearing and focusing on the task The problem also came from the poor quality of the tapes or disks The poor equipment was somehow an obstacle to students in listening Therefore, one of the important strategies proposed by the study is to invest in modern equipment to better serve teaching and learning in the listening class

Fourthly, the study by Olaofe (1994) entitled "Teaching Listening Comprehension in Large Classes" This study provides strategies to create an interactive learning environment in large listening classes The author argues that the key is to use group work and to provide opportunities for students to practice note-taking The study found that group work can help to improve students' listening comprehension in a number of ways First, it can help to reduce anxiety, as students feel less pressure when they are working with others Second, it can help to promote discussion and collaboration, as students need to share their ideas and to listen to the ideas of others Third, it can help to provide feedback, as students can get feedback from their peers on their listening comprehension skills The study also found that note-taking can help to improve students' listening comprehension Note-taking helps students to focus on the important information in the listening passage and to organize their thoughts It also helps students to remember the information after they have listened to it The study by Olaofe (1994) provides valuable insights into the challenges of teaching listening comprehension in large classes and the strategies that can be used to overcome these challenges The findings of the study can be used to help teachers develop effective listening comprehension instruction in large classes

Fifthly, Thu (2008) entitled "Listening Difficulties Perceived by Teachers and Students in Using the New English Textbook for Grade 10 at Que Vo II Upper-Secondary School in Bac Ninh" found that teachers and students perceived a number of difficulties in using the new English textbook for grade 10 These difficulties included: The difficulty of the listening passages; The lack of listening activities; The poor quality of the audio recordings; The lack of teacher training The study also found that teachers and students had different perceptions of the difficulties in using the textbook Teachers were more likely to perceive the difficulty of the listening passages as a major problem, while students were more likely to perceive the lack of listening activities as a major problem The study also proposed strategies such as: creating and developing additional learning materials through vocabulary worksheets, listening exercises, and interactive activities to help students improve their listening skills effectively; organizing periodic training courses for teachers; focusing on analyzing and handling the difficulty of listening passages; and creatively integrating listening activities into the teaching process Sixthly, Rahman and Saidur (2014) entitled "Difficulties Teachers and Students Face in the EFL/ESL Listening Classroom at Secondary Level Education in Bangladesh" found that both teachers and students face a number of difficulties in listening comprehension classes in Bangladesh These difficulties include: Lack of teacher training; Large class sizes; Lack of listening materials; Irregular attendance; Lack of background knowledge; Poor listening skills The study by Rahman and Md Saidur (2014) provides valuable insights into the difficulties that teachers and students face in listening comprehension classes in Bangladesh The findings of the study can be used to improve the teaching and learning of listening comprehension in Bangladesh The specific strategies for improving listening comprehension instruction in Bangladesh include: providing teachers with training on how to teach listening comprehension effectively; reduce class sizes so that teachers can give individual attention to students; provide schools with listening materials, such as audio recordings and transcripts; encourage students to attend English classes regularly; provide students with opportunities to learn about the background knowledge needed to understand listening passages; provide students with support to improve their listening skills

By addressing these recommendations, we can help to improve the teaching and learning of listening comprehension in Bangladesh and help students develop the skills they need to succeed in English

Based on the previous research, the researcher found that all of the research done in advance will be connected with this research The first finding, on the difficulties and strategies in listening comprehension, is relevant to this study because it provides information on the different factors that can affect listening comprehension This information can help the researcher to better understand the difficulties that teachers face in teaching listening comprehension The second finding, on how students construct listening, is also relevant to this study because it provides information on how students process and understand listening passages This information can help the researcher to understand the challenges that students face in listening comprehension and how teachers can help them to overcome these challenges The third finding, on the difficulties faced by teachers in teaching listening, is also relevant to this study because it provides information on the specific challenges that teachers face in teaching listening comprehension This information can help the researcher to better understand the challenges that teachers face in this area and how they can be addressed

Overall, the previous research provides valuable insights into the difficulties and challenges of teaching listening comprehension This research can help the researcher to better understand these difficulties and challenges and to develop effective strategies for teaching listening comprehension It can be seen that the majority of the researchers mentioned focused on either the general principles for teaching listening skills or the problems encountered by learners when learning to listen and suggested solutions to improve their listening skills Besides, their research subjects were mainly students at the tertiary level, not primary school students On the contrary, the difficulties Vietnamese primary school teachers encounter in teaching listening are highlighted in this paper, along with solutions.

METHODOLOGY

Research Approaches

Creswell (2014) defined research approaches as plans and procedures for research that span the steps from broad assumptions to detailed methods of data collection, analysis, and interpretation There are three perennial research approaches: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods Regarding quantitative approaches, Dửrnyei (2007) described that quantitative research primarily relies on numerical data that is then analyzed by statistical approaches The quantitative method is deployed through the implementation of a structured questionnaire because it emphasizes a priori categories in the form of numbers to provide statistical descriptions, relationships, and explanations (McMillan & Schumacher,

1993) Burns & Grove (1993) thought that the quantitative approach is a formal, objective, systematic technique for describing and testing relationships and examining cause and effect Frankfort & Nachmias (2008) also inform us that in the quantitative approach, the researcher tries to be objective and presents a blank screen to the research subjects While the quantitative approach requires standard results with specific statistical data from the responses of participants, the qualitative approach allows the participants to be flexible in giving their responses Burn and Grove (1993) consider a qualitative approach to be a systematic subjective approach used to describe life experiences and situations to give them meaning They also conclude that the qualitative approach focuses on the quality of information obtained from the participants rather than the size of the sample Furthermore, Parahoo (2014) states that the qualitative approach focuses on the experiences of people as well as emphasizing the uniqueness of the individual In the qualitative approach (McMillan & Schumacher, 1993), data is collected in the form of words rather than numbers, and this is an in-depth verbal description of phenomena that is gathered by the researcher

In this study, the author mixed some interviews, questionnaires, and observations to get the research data and information The questionnaire was the main instrument to discover the level of difficulty teachers have when teaching listening skills to grade 5 students, find out the causes of difficulties, and devise strategies to overcome those difficulties Besides, the author also conducted an interview with 10 English teachers to get more data and information about the difficulties they face when teaching listening skills to students, the causes of the difficulties, and solutions that need to be implemented to solve difficulties in the process of teaching listening skills to students Along with that, the author observed

10 English classes to have a more specific view of the difficulties teachers encounter in the process of teaching listening skills.

Research Setting and Participants

The study was implemented with the participation of 52 EFL teachers who have been teaching English at 10 primary schools in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province, including Nhon Ly Primary School, Nhon Hoi Primary School, Le Hong Phong Primary School, Hoang Quoc Viet Primary School, Le Primary School Hong Phong, Ly Thuong Kiet Primary School, Ngo May Primary School, Le Loi Primary School, Ngo Quyen Primary School, and Bui Thi Xuan Primary School

The research context focuses on Central Vietnam, especially Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Here, elementary school teachers are facing the challenge of teaching listening skills in an English as a foreign language environment The textbooks that students use are "English for Primary Schools," a set of textbooks selected by the Vietnamese government to teach and learn English at the primary school level The content and teaching methods of the book help define its role and influence on teaching listening skills

The study addresses the difficulties in teaching English listening to 5th grade students, especially the diversity of experiences and language learning abilities 5th grade students are often assigned to learn listening skills during English class On average, each week, students are assigned 2 hours to listen to and understand English content, but there are fluctuations depending on the policies of the school and teacher

All teachers were invited to participate in the study voluntarily and anonymously, and nearly all of them agreed willingly They were fully informed of the aims and significance of the study by the researcher before the commencement of the study Background information about the participants can be summarized in Table 3.1

Data From the Survey of Background Information of the Teachers

Note: Data collected by author on the 02th of October 2023 The survey subjects in this study included 52 English teachers at 10 primary schools in Binh Dinh province In total, the author received 52 responses with complete information that met the requirements to be included in the official analysis, as below:

Note: Chart of the survey result collected by the author

Among the 52 surveyed teachers, 23.07 percent (n = 12) were male and 76.93 percent (n = 40) were female This shows a large disparity in the number of male and female teachers participating in the study

Note: Chart of the survey result collected by the author

As for age, the results have shown a relatively even distribution across age groups The age group with the highest percentage is those over 40 years old, with a rate of 67.33% (n = 35) The age group of 20–25 years old reached 7.69% (n = 4) of the total surveyed people Other age groups also have quite equal representation, with rates of 11.53% (n = 6) for the age group from 26 to 30 years old and 5.76% (n

= 3) for the age group from 31 to 35 years old there were 4 people aged 36–40 years old, accounting for 7.69% of the total number of survey participants

The EFL Teachers’ English Teaching Experience

Note: Chart of the survey result collected by the author

Regarding the working experience, there were 5 people (9.61%) who have been working for 1-3 years; The number of people with 4-5 years of working experience was 7 people, accounting for 13.46%; the number of people with 6–10 years of working experience accounts for 3.84% (n = 2); There were 3 people (accounting for 5.76%) with 11–15 years of working experience; the number of people with more than 16–20 years of working experience accounts for 13.46% (n 7) The majority of employees have more than 20 years of working experience, accounting for the highest rate of 53.87%.

Data Collection Instruments

In the study, three instruments were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data on primary EFL teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them The questionnaire was employed to collect quantitative data from participants who answered questions comprising closed- ended and open-ended questions The research was conducted with the participation of 52 English foreign language (EFL) teachers teaching at 10 primary schools in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province The questionnaire in the study was carefully designed to ensure the collection of accurate and complete information from 52 foreign language English teachers in teaching listening skills Besides, the questions are built clearly and specifically, focused on aspects such as difficulties, causes of difficulties, and specific strategies in the process of teaching listening skills The questionnaire was sent via email to each teacher's address, accompanied by a letter explaining the purpose and importance of participating in the study

As to qualitative data, the interview and observation were implemented to collect in-depth, accurate, insightful information and an understanding of the participants’ difficulties with the matter researched and their strategies to overcome them For the convenience of getting clear and significant data, the mother tongue (Vietnamese) was used to convey the idea of the research, to ask questions, and to answer the questions during the interview between the researcher and 5 participants Google Meet was mainly used for the interview as it was considered a free and stable platform for simulating real-time meetings The meetings were recorded with the permission of the interviewees for later analysis

A survey questionnaire was chosen for this study for the four following reasons: Firstly, it is believed that a questionnaire costs little money as well as time to collect data from a potentially large number of respondents Richards (1992) points out that it is useful in "gathering information about affective information about teaching and learning, such as beliefs, attitudes, motivation, preferences, etc., and enables a teacher to collect a large amount of data in a relatively short time Rowley (2014) discusses that by using questionnaires, the researchers can pursue their aim strictly, as they can make a list of the things they want to question Secondly, the data collected from questionnaires is relatively easy to summarize and analyze as all the informants answer the same questions (Saris & Gallhofer, 2014)

Thirdly, the questionnaire can be used to obtain information about different kinds of characteristics, such as "the thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, perceptions, personalities, and behavioral intentions of research participants" (Johnson & Christensen, 2000) Beaty et al (2020) stated that if a teacher wanted to find out what his or her students thought about anything, he or she might give a questionnaire for its feasibility and convenience Thus, this instrument was expected to be helpful in getting information about different aspects of the students’ behavior and pre-speaking activities Lastly, the questionnaire gave teachers the opportunity to express their opinions without fear of being embarrassed because they were not required to write their names on the sheet In addition, the questionnaires could be adopted into an online platform such as Google Forms because it is convenient and flexible (Behrend, Sharek, Meade, and Wiebe, 2011) That was why these questionnaires were distributed online

In this study, the questionnaire included two parts In Part 1, there were three multiple-choice questions relating to the general information of the English teacher (gender, age, and English teaching experience) Part 2 had 5 questions related to the difficulties teachers face when teaching listening skills to students, the causes of difficulties, and strategies to overcome difficulties when teaching listening (30 items) In this study, the author uses a Likert scale according to difficulty level from

1 Absolutely not difficult 2 Not difficult 3 Neutral 4 Difficult; 5 Absolutely difficult

There were 52 EFL teachers, who were given detailed instructions prior to the distribution of the questionnaires The aims of the items were shown in the following table

Data From the Questionnaire of Item Distribution

Aims Number of questions Number of items

The questions had the aim of surveying the 1 11 difficulties that teachers face in teaching listening skills

The questions were asked with the aim of discovering the causes of teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills

The questions were with the aim of finding out strategies to overcome teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills

4 items for parents’ strategies Note: Data collected by author on the 02th of October 2023

A semi-structured interview was used in this study to clarify some ambiguous findings from the questionnaire data The interviews were conducted through the Zoom application Every appointment had a set time and place and was booked in advance In order to ease participant anxiety and earn their trust, the researcher introduced herself and clarified the goal of the interview Moreover, this type of interview gave the researcher the chance to ask further questions to observe the interviewees’ expressions and feelings while answering the questions, as they gave instant answers rather than thinking about what the researcher wanted to hear (Bell, 2003) The interviewees were encouraged to answer orally; however, they could type the answers if they wanted There were two main themes in the questions: listening difficulties and listening strategies Additional questions were added following the interviewers’ responses The data was recorded and then transcribed, themed, and interpreted in order to answer the research questions

To expand the information and to make the study more trustworthy and reliable, the author conducted an interview with five English teachers from five primary schools, including Nhon Ly Primary School, Nhon Hoi Primary School, Le Hong Phong Primary School, Hoang Quoc Viet Primary School, and Le Primary School Hong Phong The interview was done because the author wanted to gain diverse opinions and information and broaden the scope of the research This interview was conducted based on the list of questions to get the exact information and viewpoint of difficulties and strategies to overcome these difficulties when teaching listening skills to grade 5 students

Bailey (2011) defined class observation as the purposeful examination of teaching or learning events via the systematic processes of data collection and analysis class observation, which is also regarded as a process by which the observer sits in on one or more classroom sessions, records the instructor’s teaching practices and student actions, and then meets with the instructor to discuss the observations Thus, this is a collaborative process

Gaies (1991) states, "What we see when we observe teachers and learners in action is not the mechanical application of methods and techniques, but rather a reflection of how teachers have interpreted these things" Hancock (1998, p 89) emphasizes in his work that "because of the richness and credibility of information it can provide, observation is a desirable part of a data gathering instrument" Gay et al (2009) state that the researchers observe and record behaviors, but they do not interact with or participate in the life of the setting under study Field notes are taken during observation to gather, record, and compile information during the course of the study Although this method does not directly answer the researcher's questions, it is useful for gathering data Observations enable the researcher to gather data on the physical setting, the human setting, the interactional setting, and the program setting (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2000) Therefore, observation of the actual classroom teaching and learning process is used as a data collection instrument to obtain more information

In this research, the author observed five English classes in five primary schools, including Nhon Ly Primary School, Nhon Hoi Primary School, Le Hong Phong Primary School, Hoang Quoc Viet Primary School, and Le Primary School Hong Phong And then, the author collected the information and filled out the observation form By doing that, the author could find out the difficulties teachers cope with in the process of teaching listening skills to grade 5 students.

Data Collection Procedure

A questionnaire was distributed to EFL teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh province The questionnaires were delivered in hard copies and directly to participants by myself in order to avoid being neglected or abandoned by the receivers

For the convenience of the teachers, the Vietnamese version of the questionnaire was delivered to make sure that they could fully understand the questions and fill in the questionnaires more accurately The procedures used to collect the quantitative data within the research settings are illustrated below

Quantitative data (Questionnaires) Quantitative analysis

This model was produced by Gill, P., et al (2008, summarizing quantitative data collection procedures " Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups”, by Gill, Stewart, and Treasure, 2008, 204, p 291–

After collecting the questionnaires for the semi-structured interview, the researcher selected five participants on purpose to ensure a variety of age, gender, and teaching experience The interview questions (Appendix B) were raised according to the research questions to maintain the focus and consistency of the interviews The interview included three open-ended questions aimed at getting a deeper understanding of difficulties in teaching listening comprehension and how to deal with them The interviews were conducted in Vietnamese so that the participants could feel more comfortable expressing their own opinions Simultaneously, the answers were tape-recorded and then transcribed by the researcher for later analysis Additionally, the real names of participants were mentioned to maintain their confidentiality Instead, teachers were coded as Teacher

1, Teacher 2, Teacher 3, Teacher 4, and Teacher 5 The following shows the qualitative procedure for data collection

Qualitative data (transcript) Qualitative analysis

This model was produced by Gill, P., et al (2008, summarizing qualitative data collection procedures " Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups”, by Gill, Stewart, and Treasure, 2008, 204, p 291–

Observation may be regarded as the basis of everyday social life for most people; we are diligent observers of behavior and of our material surroundings We watch, evaluate, draw conclusions, and make comments on interactions and relationships (Ciesieslka, Bostrom, & Ohlander, 2018)

In this research, the researcher played a role as a non-participant observer It means that the observer is not directly involved in the situation being observed (Gay, 2000) The researcher observed three classes The classroom observation found out EFL teacher’s difficulties in teaching listening skills and how to deal with these difficulties The observations focused on the teacher’s problems may face and how they solved them while recording all classroom activities, both verbal and nonverbal The recording was required to assist researchers in obtaining accurate data.

Data Analysis

Data analysis is the process of obtaining information that lies beneath the surface content of data In order to identify the crucial components used to explain the nature of the thing being studied, the researcher must interpret and analyze the collected data in a logical manner (Denscombe, 2007) In this research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to analyze the information gathered from the three data collection instruments On the one hand, information from the questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively according to statistical frequency and percentage Then, they were presented in tables and charts to give the liveliest picture of the issue investigated Besides, the qualitative data collected from the interviews and observations was used to supplement and illustrate the results of the questionnaires

In this study, data from observation, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires were collected and analyzed This method allowed a broad analysis of the data while also ensuring a detailed description of the teachers’ practices of adapting vocabulary tasks for young learners in the classroom Data collection was conducted through mixed methods and followed five main steps, as follows:

Process of Qualitative Data Analysis

Note: This process was produced by Wong (2008), summarizing the process of qualitative data analysis From "Data Analysis in Qualitative Research: A Brief Guide to Using Nvivo", by LP Wong, 2008, 3(1):14-20, National Institutes of Health Malaysian Family Physician

Step 1: Get to know data

In fact, the data was collected from the observations and in-depth interviews, and the questionnaire should be processed right after collection It was read and re- read to synthesize quality data for the research The collecting data included the things that stuck out during the study, and this was very essential to completing these steps as soon as possible Furthermore, it could help the researcher understand more about the limitations and level of appropriate analysis in the given study

There are common approaches in this qualitative study To focus the analysis, the researcher organized the data by putting the topic of the practices of teachers under the research question and focused the analysis on how teachers practice their adaptation in the classroom All the data from each category would be put together to later provide the connections within and between the categories

This step was considered the crux of qualitative analysis In this step, researchers needed to identify themes if necessary because not all data was qualitative research The process of reduction, which followed the data collection, was used to identify and make it clear what data should be reduced to be suitable for this study This process was called reducing and transforming data and was relevant during a data collection interaction

Step 4: Identify patterns and connections within and between categories

After identifying the themes or content patterns, the data was set up together while the data were categorized The key factor was capturing the similarities and differences of the responses within a category, which could be shown through a table or textual way The data was concerned with new ways of identifying systematic patterns and interrelationships across themes or content in the observation and the interview

Step 5: Interpretation—Bringing it All Together

This was the final step in qualitative data analysis, which helped attach meaning and significance to the analysis, which could be called the interpretation of the data, interpret what all of the findings mean, determine whether these findings are helpful in responding to the research questions, and draw implications from the findings First, a list of key points or important findings as a result of categorizing and sorting the data would be well developed Next, an outline for presenting the results would be given out In this stage, descriptive examples from the data or the visual display helped to illustrate the ideas and communicate the findings from this research.

Summary

In short, this chapter has provided information on the data analysis and discussion of the study The teacher’s attitudes toward teaching listening skills and the difficulties that teachers encounter in teaching listening skills are presented These results would serve as the foundation for the findings and suggested solutions that will be provided in the next chapter.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings From the Questionnaire

4.1.1 Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

Data From Survey of Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

Difficulties Mean value Standard deviation

Difficulties in recognizing students' listening abilities and psychology (DF1)

Difficulties in designing the attractive and useful lessons

Difficulties in assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills (DF3)

Maintaining student’s attention and participation throughout the lesson (DF4)

Difficulties in explaining and supporting students for understanding and remembering the new vocabulary (DF5)

Difficulties in providing individual support for students

3.51 0.867 with the poor ability to listen and distinguish sounds (DF6)

Difficulties in developing and improving their language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively (DF7)

Difficulty in practicing listening teaching skills (DF8) 4.52 0.988

Difficulties in using available materials/textbooks to teach listening skill (DF9)

Difficulties in using the modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students (DF10)

Difficulties in term of time when teaching listening skills to students (DF11)

Note: Data collected by author on the 02th of October 2023

The above results have shown the level of difficulty that teachers face in the process of teaching listening skills to 5th grade students as follows:

The overall mean scores of difficulties have shown that the highest level of difficulty that teachers cope with has a mean value of 4.58 This means teachers have the most difficulty using modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students Meanwhile, the difficulty level when assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills is considered the least difficult, with a mean value of 3.18, the lowest of all difficulties The remaining difficulties also reach a high level of difficulty

Besides, the standard deviation of difficulties when teaching listening skills to students is from 0.837 to 1.053 Thus, the fluctuation range of difficulty levels of teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh province in teaching listening skills to 5th grade students is relatively high

Below is a chart showing the percentage of teachers at different difficulty levels for each specific difficulty

Difficulties Teacher Face During Teaching Listening Skills

Note: Chart of the survey result collected by the author

The above chart has shown that, among the respondents, 50.03 percent of teachers encountered absolute difficulty using modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students Meanwhile, only 1.92% of teachers had absolutely no difficulty with this The percentage of teachers who ranked absolutely difficult in second place is 46.18%, proving that many teachers have difficulty practicing listening and teaching skills

The percentage of teachers having difficulties at the "difficult" level is relatively high (from 30.76% to 48.07%), with difficulties such as: choosing learning materials to teach listening skills effectively; designing attractive and useful lessons; maintaining students' attention and participation throughout the lesson; explaining and supporting students in understanding and reminding them of the new vocabulary; and developing and improving their language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively Meanwhile, the remaining difficulties are assessed at the "normal" difficulty level The lowest percentage of teachers rating the average difficulty belongs to difficulties in using available materials or textbooks to teach the listening skill (40.38%) and difficulties in assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills (40.38%)

The results of interviews with 5 teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh Province about the difficulties in teaching listening skills to the students are as follows:

For the difficulties in recognizing students' listening abilities and psychology, design attractive and useful lessons

Teacher 1 stated that she had difficulty recognizing students' listening abilities and psychology Each student has a different hearing ability and personality, so making a correct assessment of the student causes difficulties for teachers

Another difficulty she encountered was how to design attractive and useful lessons She needed to create lessons that not only helped students improve their listening skills but also stimulated their curiosity and motivated them to participate actively This required her to invest time in learning about modern teaching methods and developing lessons based on them

For the difficulties in providing individual support for students with the poor ability to listen and distinguish sounds; explaining and supporting students in understanding and remembering the new vocabulary

According to teacher 2, there were two main difficulties that she had faced One of them was personally supportive of students with poor abilities to listen and distinguish sounds There were a few students who had difficulty recognizing sounds and understanding lecture content due to personal problems This required her to spend a lot of time working individually with students to support them This was sometimes a challenge for her if the class was large Besides, explaining and helping students understand and remember the new vocabulary also puts pressure on her because she did not have much time for this activity in class

For the difficulties in assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills, develop and improve their language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively

Teacher 3 said that he coped with assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills Firstly, assessing listening skills was not always easy I have difficulty creating realistic tests or assessment activities, especially when working with students in grade 5 It was necessary for him to design tests or feedback activities that are interactive and reflect students' listening abilities The second difficulty was improving language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively To do that, he needed to master the knowledge skills of grammar, vocabulary, and how to use them in real-life contexts Mastering English from a linguistic and contextual perspective required an investment of extra time and effort He must ensure that he clearly understands how the language components work to effectively teach listening skills

For the difficulties in maintaining student focus and participation, using modern devices

Teacher 4 stated that the first difficulty she encountered was related to maintaining student focus and participation throughout the lesson Maintaining student interest over long periods can be quite challenging Some students become distracted or tired after a period of listening She needed to find ways to promote interaction and participation to ensure that students did not become distracted during the listening process

Besides, getting used to and controlling modern devices made it difficult for teachers, especially teachers like her who did not have experience using technology in teaching It costs her a lot of time to operate in class

For the difficulties in practicing listening teaching skills

According to teacher 5’s opinion, practicing listening skills requires her to be able to create a diverse and interactive learning environment She needed to practice this skill to ensure that the lesson was not just about listening but also about participating, discussing, and interacting This was difficult for her because she needed to spend time and effort to improve this skill

4.1.2 Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

Data from a Survey of Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

Causes for Difficulties Mean value Standard deviation

1 Do not have enough language knowledge to teach listening skill to students

2 Limitations in teaching and classroom management skills 3.78 0.846

3 Students are not focused, engaged, and cooperative during listening lessons

4 The school does not invest in appropriate materials and modern equipment to serve listening teaching

5 The school does not provide training and career development opportunities

6 There is no cohesion, support, 3.34 0.829 or sharing among colleagues

Note: Data collected by author on the 02th of October 2023

The table above shows that the mean value of the causes of the difficulties in teaching listening skills is relatively high Most teachers feel strongly that it is difficult when students are not focused, engaged, and cooperative during listening lessons (with the highest mean value of 4.72)

Besides, teachers also feel strongly that it is difficult when the school does not invest in appropriate materials and modern equipment to serve listening teaching and when the school does not provide training and career development opportunities, with a mean score of 4.67 and 4.66, respectively Meanwhile, the remaining causes are also considered important but have lower mean scores Regarding the standard deviation, the standard deviation of the variables on the causes of difficulties in teaching and listening to students is relatively high, ranging from 0.829 to 0.974

Causes for Difficulties in Teaching Listening Skills

Note: Chart of the survey result collected by the author

Among the 52 surveyed teachers, 78.87% of teachers said that the reason

"students are not focused, engaged, and cooperative during listening lessons" is strongly important; 67.33% of teachers think that the reason "the school does not invest in appropriate materials and modern equipment to serve listening teaching" is strongly important Besides, the percentage of teachers who think that the reason is

"the school does not provide training and career development opportunities" "is strongly important, accounting for 59.64% In addition, the majority of teachers (67,48%) agreed that “Students' listening ability is limited” are strongly important causes for difficulty in teaching the listening skills

Discussion

The results of the survey, interviews, and classroom observations provided an overview of teachers' difficulties in teaching English listening skills

It can be said that the “absolutely difficult” difficulties include difficulties in practicing listening and teaching skills The teachers face big difficulties when organizing teaching activities on listening skills and conducting tests for students

Besides, listening skills require concentration and discipline in teaching, and some teachers may feel dissatisfied with their performance

In addition, teachers also feel it is “absolutely difficult” to use modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students It is clear that, nowadays, using modern devices, such as radio or disc, in the process of teaching listening is extremely necessary; however, they can cause a series of challenges for teachers who are poor in technology According to demographic survey results, the majority of English teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh province are over 40 years old Therefore, they have not updated trends and technology quickly and fully to teach the listening skill effectively Teachers need knowledge and skills to use these tools effectively to ensure that students have a positive learning experience This may require investment and training related to instructional technology

Difficulties assessed at a lower level, but still important, include difficulties in recognizing students' listening abilities and psychology to effectively teach listening skills, which is an important part of building successful lessons Teachers need to ensure that lessons are appropriate to the age and level of students while promoting the development of listening skills Besides, lesson design requires creativity and mastery of learning goals, causing teachers to encounter many difficulties The teacher should be engaging with students, helping them understand why learning listening skills is important and how they can be applied in real life (Yükselci, 2003)

Besides, lesson design requires creativity and mastery of learning goals, causing teachers to encounter many difficulties Lectures should be engaging for students, helping them understand why learning listening skills is important and how they can be applied in real life

Furthermore, teachers also have difficulty maintaining students' focus and engagement throughout the lesson This is because students find it difficult to understand and are not interested in listening to lessons Besides, the learning programs are also not attractive to students Teachers need to develop and apply effective methods and appropriate strategies to maintain students' interest and ensure their participation in the learning process

An important part of listening skills is mastering vocabulary to be able to understand the content of the conversation (Wing, 1986) Difficulties in explaining and supporting students to understand and remember new vocabulary: However, for some students with poor vocabulary, teachers need to explain and support students to understand and remember new vocabulary effectively to help them perform well in exercises and listening skills This also makes it difficult for teachers because class time is limited Along with that, difficulties with language knowledge can make teaching less effective and reduce teachers' confidence in teaching listening skills

After finding out the causes of the above difficulties, the author has discovered that if students are not focused and do not participate or cooperate during listening lessons, it is difficult for them to grasp information and develop listening skills This affects learning outcomes and requires effective classroom management on the part of teachers Furthermore, to teach listening skills effectively, teachers need to have appropriate learning materials and modern equipment such as computers, headphones, projectors, etc However, when schools do not invest enough in these resources, teachers will have difficulty creating interesting and engaging lessons Additionally, when teachers are not provided with adequate training and professional development opportunities, they may not be up to date with the latest teaching methods and may not be confident in teaching listening skills Furthermore, parents play an important role in supporting students to develop listening skills Lack of support and encouragement from parents can cause students to lack motivation and not actively participate in the learning process This can lead to poor performance in English listening skills (Gabrilla,

To solve the difficulties that teachers encounter when teaching listening skills to students, close collaboration is needed between relevant parties, including schools, teachers, and parents

The schools need to provide teachers with modern materials and equipment to help them create engaging and effective lessons This is the strategy most strongly agreed upon by respondents The appropriate materials and modern tools also help students participate more actively in the learning process (Renandya et al.,

2011) Besides, schools' investment in training and skills development, classroom management support, and the organization of extracurricular activities and workshops will help teachers be equipped with the latest knowledge on listening skills and the appropriate documentation; focus on teaching without worrying about distractions in the classroom; and create opportunities for learning and exchanging experiences, helping teachers become more confident in teaching listening skills Thus, the school strategies make an important contribution to helping teachers overcome difficulties and improve performance in teaching listening skills to students

Teachers themselves need to actively learn how to use modern technology effectively to create interesting and interactive lessons Applying technology in teaching also helps create a modern and suitable learning environment for new- generation students In the classroom, teachers need to create conditions for students to interact, express opinions, and actively participate in the learning process This can be achieved through creating an interesting learning environment and encouraging students to participate in activities

Additionally, parents play an important role in promoting and supporting learning at home They can motivate students by promoting the practice of English listening skills outside of class and providing homework support

In short, ensuring collaboration between stakeholders and implementing measures such as investing in materials, training teachers, using technology, and encouraging interaction in the classroom support the learning activities; supporting extracurricular activities, studying at home, and so on will help solve difficulties in the process of teaching listening skills to students.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Summary of the Major Findings

After conducting the survey, interviews with teachers, and classroom observations, the author had found that the challenges teachers face when teaching English listening skills Teachers fely that practicing listening and teaching skills, as well as using modern equipment when teaching listening skills, were both

"absolutely difficult" tasks Difficulties evaluated at a lower level, but still important, include the ability to recognize students' listening skills and psychology to effectively teach listening skills, which was an important part of building the successful lessons Furthermore, lesson design required creativity and mastery of learning goals, created many challenges for teachers Additionally, teachers had difficulty in maintaining student focus and engagement throughout the lesson There were also difficulties in explaining and supporting students to understand and remember new vocabulary

For the causes for the above difficulties, the author found that if students did not concentrate, participate, or cooperate during the listening process, they had difficulty in grasping information and developing listening skills Additionally, when teachers were not adequately trained and did not have opportunities for professional development, they lacked up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and lacked confidence in teaching listening skills Furthermore, the important role of parents in supporting students to develop listening skills was emphasized A lack of support and encouragement from parents could lead to a lack of motivation and a lack of active engagement in the learning process, caused the poor performance in

English listening skills To solve the difficulties that teachers encountered when teaching listening skills, there needed to be close cooperation between relevant parties for completing strategies for schools, teachers and parents.

Conclusion

Improving primary school teachers' listening skills is an important factor in ensuring that their students have the opportunity to develop comprehensively Listening skills are an important foundation for learning English, especially at elementary school age This helps them develop communication skills, understand language cultures, and create opportunities to interact with English in real-life situations However, in the process of teaching listening, teachers often face difficulties and challenges that affect their teaching work and the quality of their listening skills Therefore, it is extremely necessary to come up with the appropriate strategies to help teachers overcome these difficulties

The author conducted a survey of 52 teachers at 10 primary schools in Binh Dinh These teachers are teaching English to 5th grade students at the school In addition, the author also conducted interviews with five teachers in five schools and observed five classrooms to complete the research objective of this thesis The main purpose of the research is to discover the difficulties of teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh province when teaching English listening skills to 5th grade students

In addition, the research object is to discover strategies to solve those difficulties

In general, the difficulties that teachers at primary schools in Binh Dinh Province encounter in the process of teaching English listening skills include: practicing listening and teaching skills; using modern equipment when teaching listening skills to students; choosing learning materials to teach listening skills effectively, etc., which are diverse and complex issues These difficulties come from many sources, such as the school's investment and concern; the teachers themselves; the concern of parents, etc This requires investment in training, vocational training, and appropriate learning materials to help teachers master teaching skills and overcome difficulties In addition, support from schools and parents can help solve a significant portion of these difficulties.

Limitations of the Study

Although this study has provided valuable information about the difficulties that English as a Foreign Language teachers encounter in the process of teaching listening skills to primary school students in Binh Dinh province, especially for 5th grade students, it has some limitations that may affect the comprehensiveness and generalizability of the results

One of the main limitations of this study is its relatively small sample size There are only ten EFL teachers who have participated in the interviews and represent 10 schools, which may not fully represent the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and difficulties that all primary school EFL teachers in Binh Dinh province are facing

In addition, the author has observed five classrooms; however, only half of the teachers who participated in the observations had been prepared in advance for English listening activities; the others did not This is because they did not have enough time in the class Therefore, the results of classroom observations may not reflect all the difficulties that teachers cope with In other words, this unevenness can affect the results of observations and the understanding derived from them Limited time is one of the common challenges in the research process This has affected the ability to conduct comprehensive and in-depth data collection Due to time limitations, some important aspects of the problem may not have been considered in detail There may be other important aspects of teachers' experiences that the author did not promptly record and analyze

Besides, the author's limited knowledge and academic capacity also affect the effectiveness and accuracy of their ability to perform detailed and in-depth analysis This topic is extremely complex and requires a deep understanding of the field of language education, especially in teaching English listening skills.

Implications

Listening skills are an important part of learning English, and teachers who are good at teaching listening skills can have a big impact on student learning However, the primary school teachers in Binh Dinh province often encounter many difficulties in teaching listening skills, especially for 5th grade students In this section, the author proposes implications to help them overcome difficulties as analyzed These implications will be divided into three parts: implications for the primary schools in Binh Dinh province, implications for teachers, and implications for parents

The schools play an extremely important role in helping teachers overcome difficulties in the process of teaching listening and improving the effectiveness of the process of teaching this skill To do this effectively, the primary schools in Binh Dinh province need to implement the following solutions:

Firstly, the schools need to provide advanced teaching tools, which are extremely important factors in creating a stimulating and effective learning environment for primary school students They not only help students develop their listening ability but also promote engagement and interest in learning English The diverse materials expose students to a variety of accents, vocabulary, and grammar, from real-life voices to media, and help them develop flexible real-world listening skills (Malley & Chamot, 1990)

To implement this solution effectively, the schools in Binh Dinh province need to ensure the listening materials are designed to suit the age and level of elementary school students and use a variety of resources, such as textbooks, videos, radio news, and online English learning applications In addition, the primary schools need to support teachers in using teaching technology by organizing training courses on how to utilize computers and teaching software For example, the students in the class want to study animals The school can provide a lesson with audio material that is a video about the life of a tiger in the wild This video is not only fun, but it also helps students listen to and talk about animals in a realistic way Students can watch videos on a large screen via a projector, and teachers can use speakers to create immersive sound This helps create an enjoyable learning experience and promotes the development of students' listening skills In addition, schools should work closely with English textbook publishers to use quality listening materials that are appropriate to the curriculum and cooperate with training organizations to ensure teachers are provided with the latest tools and materials to improve teaching quality

Secondly, the school needs to organize periodic training courses on teaching listening skills to teachers These training courses include how to select and use listening materials, effective teaching methods, and how to assess student progress in this area Along with that, in the training courses, the teachers should be introduced to methods of teaching listening skills together with using a variety of listening materials, such as podcasts, videos, radio news, and textbooks Moreover, schools should create opportunities for teachers to participate in training courses on how to use online English learning software to improve students' listening skills They can then apply this knowledge in their classroom The training and professional development help teachers master methods and strategies for teaching listening skills quickly and effectively It also provides them with the latest knowledge and best practice opportunities Furthermore, the schools can encourage teachers to participate in online educational forums or in online communities specializing in English teaching This gives them access to resources and ideas from other colleagues and creates opportunities to learn and improve their listening and teaching skills

Thirdly, the schools can support teachers in classroom management by managing time, managing distracted students, and creating a positive learning environment Effective classroom management is an important factor that helps teachers focus on teaching listening skills while maintaining student focus To do this, the school can recruit additional teaching assistants to help teachers manage the classroom during listening lessons, organize training courses on classroom management, or provide advice and support from experts in classroom management

Fourth, the extracurricular activities and workshops play an important role in helping the primary school English teachers overcome difficulties in teaching listening skills These activities not only create opportunities for teachers to share experiences and learn from each other, but also help them access new teaching methods and improve their professional knowledge In addition, extracurricular activities and seminars also promote interest and passion in teaching and learning English Schools can organize periodic exchange sessions between English teachers so they can share successful experiences and challenges in teaching listening skills to students In seminars or workshops on teaching listening skills, schools should invite good teachers to share the methods and strategies they have successfully applied in the classroom In addition, elementary English teachers can be encouraged to participate in larger educational communities such as online forums, research groups, or educational social networks This helps them access diverse resources and knowledge from around the globe and exchange ideas with other colleagues

Teachers need to use modern technology in teaching listening skills because it helps elementary students easily meet real English sounds and create excitement Technology helps create a diverse and interesting learning environment, promotes interaction, and helps students easily access listening materials from many sources, thereby helping teachers reduce pressure during the teaching process To implement this solution effectively, teachers need to choose teaching software, applications, and English learning websites suitable for the age and level of students This requires teachers to update their knowledge of the new materials and technology regularly

Besides, teachers should use video, audio, and online materials such as newsletters, English learning videos, and cartoons to create interesting and realistic lessons Teachers need to create creative lessons and ensure that the materials selected are appropriate to the curriculum Along with that, teachers need to guide students to use technology to learn more outside of class, for example, by watching videos on YouTube or participating in English learning applications This requires teachers to ensure students know how to use technology safely and effectively

For example, teachers can use an English learning app for 5th graders that provides short video-based lessons about real-life situations, such as everyday life Some teaching software, applications, and English learning websites suitable for 5th grade students are:

Duolingo for Kids: The children's version of Duolingo offers English learning lessons through games, quizzes, and animations It helps students develop basic vocabulary and grammar in a fun way

Starfall: The Starfall website specializes in teaching English to children, including visual activities and lessons on reading and listening

ABCmouse: The ABCmouse app offers hundreds of language-related lessons, including English teaching It provides activities that help develop listening skills and vocabulary

Teachers can use these applications in the classroom to introduce lessons and then assign corresponding assignments to students This helps students improve their listening skills in a natural and enjoyable way while encouraging them to use technology to improve their English outside of class

Besides, teachers need to create many opportunities to actively practice listening skills with students Practice for listening is an important factor in developing students' listening skills Students need opportunities to listen and engage in authentic language activities, such as conversation, discussion, and expressing opinions Moreover, practicing listening skills helps students build their ability to listen and understand the nature of English Therefore, teachers need to organize interactive classroom activities such as group discussions, role-playing, or presentations

Through interviews, podcasts, or English news bulletins that provide opportunities for students to listen and react, teachers should encourage students to use English in real-life situations, such as participating in Engage in conversations with friends, learn about the English language through extracurricular activities, or participate in interesting events related to English For example, the teacher can organize a discussion on an interesting topic like "The Life of Wild Animals" in class Students are put into groups to discuss related issues and then share the results of their discussions with the whole class This not only helps them develop their listening skills but also encourages participation and the expression of their opinions

In addition, choosing listening materials appropriate to the age and level of students plays an important role in teaching listening skills effectively The appropriate materials not only help students understand the nature of language but also promote interest and build confidence For 5th grade students, the listening material can be based on short stories with simpler vocabulary Teachers should use diverse resources such as textbooks, English learning videos, radio news, and online English learning applications, creating lessons based on listening materials to help students combine listening with activities such as writing exercises, analysis, and discussion The English teachers can use a short story about children's adventures in a wild forest The listening material can be a story read or an animated video Students are asked to listen and then write an assignment summarizing the adventure or discussing what they heard This helps students apply listening skills to their writing and express their opinions

Parents play an important role in helping teachers overcome difficulties in the process of teaching listening skills to elementary students This is because parents are the closest people to students after teachers; they can play an important role as a bridge between school and family Here are some ways parents can support teachers:

Suggestions for Further Studies

From the mentioned limitations, there are some suggestions that are given for future study:

Further research should be conducted with a broader and more diverse sample of EFL teachers to capture the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and difficulties they face during teaching listening skills This can help create a more comprehensive view of the research problem

Besides, future research should study in detail teachers' preparedness for listening activities, thereby providing a deeper understanding of why some teachers are unprepared and how this affects their effectiveness in teaching listening skills This can be based on a detailed analysis of lesson planning and implementation

In the next study, the author will spend more time on data collection and analysis to capture specifically and in detail how time constraints affect the process of teaching and learning listening skills This can help identify the specific and precise difficulties that teachers face and then suggest specific strategies or methods to address them

In addition, the author will focus on developing his own knowledge and academic capacity to conduct further research more effectively The author will also participate in training courses or training programs that help improve knowledge and capacity for research analysis Collaborating with experts in the field of language education is another way to provide a deeper understanding of this topic.

Summary

In this chapter, the author has reaffirmed the research results discovered in Chapter 4 and shown that the research has successfully answered the research objectives and at the same time answered the following questions: Ask and research about teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to deal with these difficulties Besides, the implications for schools, teachers, and parents are also given in this chapter to improve the effectiveness of teaching listening skills to students, thereby also solving teachers' difficulties in this activity

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Yükselci, S (2003) Teachers' practices and perceptions regarding listening strategies, and perceptions of difficulties likely to arise in English listening comprehension lessons [Master's thesis, Bilken University] Bilkent University. https://repository.bilkent.edu.tr/server/api/core/bitstreams/ff833df1-8d57- 4eb9-a71f-0788625b4bc8/content

Yukselci, Sema 2003 Teachers’ practices and perceptions regarding listening strategies, and perceptions of difficulties likely to arise in English listening comprehension lessons [Master's thesis, Bilken University] Bilken University http://www.thesis.bilkent.edu.tr/0002326.pdf

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS (IN ENGLISH)

My name is: student, school Currently, I am researching the topic "Primary EFL Teachers' difficulties in teaching listening skills and strategies to overcome them," and there are some issues that need the teachers' cooperation

I hope you will spend a little time answering the survey questions below Your contributions will be an extremely useful and valuable source of information for this research All of your answers will be kept confidential and used for scientific research only

Sincerely, thank you for your cooperation!

(Please provide some personal information Circle the correct box)

3 How many years have you been teaching?

Question 1: In the process of teaching the listening skills, do you feel there are any of the following difficulties and choose your level of difficulty ?

1 Difficulties in choosing equipment to teach the listening skills effectively

2 Difficulties in designing attractive and useful lessons

3 Difficulties in assessing and giving feedback on students' progress in listening skills

4 Difficulties in maintaining students' attention and participation throughout the lesson

5 Difficulties in explaining and supporting students in understanding and remembering the new vocabulary

6 Difficulties in providing individual support for students with the poor ability to listen and distinguish sounds

7 Difficulties in developing and improving their language knowledge to teach listening skills effectively

8 Difficulty in practicing listening and teaching skills

9 Difficulties in using available materials/textbooks to teach the listening skill

10 Difficulties in using the modern equipment when teaching the listening skills to students

11 Difficulties in terms of time when teaching the listening skills to students

Question 2: Which of the following causes makes it difficult for teachers to teach the listening skills to students?

1 Do not have enough language knowledge to teach listening skills to students

2 Limitations in teaching and classroom management skills

3 Students are not focused, engaged, and cooperative during listening lessons

4 Students' listening ability is limited

5 The school does not invest in appropriate materials and modern equipment to serve listening teaching

6 The school does not provide training and career development opportunities

7 There is no cohesion, support, or sharing among colleagues

Question 3 Among the strategies to overcome difficulties in the process of teaching the listening skills for students listed below, which strategy do you like? (For School)

1.Strategies in investing in modern and advanced teaching tools

2.Strategies in training and developing skills for the teachers

3.Strategies in supporting the teachers for classroom management

4.Strategies in organizing extracurricular activities and seminars for teachers

Question 4 Among the strategies to overcome difficulties in the process of teaching the listening skills for students listed below, which strategy do you like? (For teachers )

1 Strategies in participating in training courses and professional development programs actively

2 Strategies in using technology effectively

3 Strategies in giving many opportunities for students to practice their listening skills

4 Strategies in selecting the appropriate equipment to teach listening skill

5 Strategies in giving feedback and monitoring student progress regularly

Question 5 Among the strategies to overcome difficulties in the process of teaching the listening skills for students listed below, which strategy do you like? (For parents)

1.Strategies in supporting for extracurricular learning

2.Strategies in practice listening skills with their children

3 Strategies in supporting from reference materials

4 Strategies in performing checks regular

APPENDIX 2: PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT GIÁO VIÊN

Em tên là: -học viên lớp cao học - Hiện tại, em đang nghiên cứu đề tài “Các khó khăn của giáo viên trong việc dạy kỹ năng nghe và chiến lược vượt qua chúng” và có một số vấn đề cần sự hợp tác của quý thầy cô

Mong các Thầy/cô dành ít thời gian trả lời các câu hỏi khảo sát dưới đây Những đóng góp của Thầy/cô sẽ là nguồn thông tin hết sức hữu ích và có giá trị rất lớn cho nghiên cứu này Mọi câu trả lời của Thầy/cô sẽ được giữ bí mật và chỉ phục vụ cho nghiên cứu khoa học

Trân trọng cảm ơn sự hợp tác của quý thầy cô!

PHẦN 1: THÔNG TIN CÁ NHÂN

(Xin Thầy cô vui lòng cho biết một số thông tin cá nhân Đánh dấu x vào ô đúng)

1 Xin thầy/cô vui lòng cho biết độ tuổi của thầy/cô là bao nhiêu?

2 Xin thầy/cô cho biết giới tính của mình alf gì?

3 Thời gian làm việc tại trường học của thầy/cô là bao lâu?

PHẦN II: CÁC CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT

Câu 1: Trong quá trình dạy nghe, Thầy/cô cảm thấy có những khó khăn nào trong những khó khăn sau và lựa chọn mức độ khó khăn của bản thân?

Rất ít khó khăn Ít khó khăn

1.Khó khăn trong nhận biết về năng lực và tâm lý của học sinh

2 Khó khăn trong việc thiết kế bài giảng thu hút và hữu ích

3 Khó khăn trong việc đánh giá, nhận xét sự tiến bộ của học sinh trong kỹ năng nghe

4 Khóa khăn trong việc duy trì sự tập trung và tham gia của học sinh trong suốt buổi học throughout the lesson

5 Khóa khăn trong việc giải thích và hỗ trợ học sinh hiểu và nhớ các từ vựng mới

6 Khó khăn trong việc hỗ trợ cá nhân hóa đối với học sinh có khả năng lắng nghe và phân biệt âm thanh kém

7 Khó khăn trong việc phát triển và nâng cao kiến thức ngôn ngữ của họ để dạy môn này một cách hiệu quả

8 Khó khăn trong việc rèn luyện các kỹ năng dạy nghe

9 Khó khăn trong việc sử dụng tài liệu/ sách giáo khoa có sẵn để dạy nghe

10 Khó khăn trong việc sử dụng các thiết bị hiện đại khi dạy kỹ năng nghe cho học sinh

11 Khó khăn về mặt thời gian khi dạy kỹ năng nghe cho học sinh

Câu 2: Nguyên nhân nào trong các nguyên nhân sau đây gây khó khăn cho thầy/cô trong quá trình dạy nghe?

Rất ít quan trọng Ít quan trọng

1 Không có đủ kiến thức về ngôn ngữ để dạy nghe cho học sinh

2 Hạn chế về kỹ năng dạy và quản lý lớp học

3 Học sinh không tập trung, tham gia, và hợp tác trong giờ học nghe

4 Năng lực nghe của học sinh còn hạn chế

5 Nhà trường không cung cấp tài liệu phù hợp, trang thiết bị hiện đại để phục vụ dạy nghe

6 Nhà trường không cung cấp các khóa đào tạo và cơ hội phát triển nghề nghiệp cho giáo viên

7 Không có sự gắn kết, hỗ trợ, chia sẻ giữa các đồng nghiệp

Câu 3 Giữa các chiến lược vượt qua khó khăn trong quá trình dạy nghe đã liệt kê bên trên, thầy cô đồng ý với chiến lược nào? (Đối với nhà trường)

1 Chiến lược đầu tư vào thiết bị, công cụ dạy học tiên tiến, hiện đại

2 Chiến lược đào tạo và phát triển nghề nghiệp cho các giáo viên

3 Chiến lược hỗ trợ giáo viên quản lý lớp học

4 Chiến lược tổ chức các hoạt động giao lưu, hội thảo cho giáo viên

Câu 4 Giữa các chiến lược vượt qua khó khăn trong quá trình dạy nghe đã liệt kê bên trên, thầy cô đồng ý với chiến lược nào? (Đối với giáo viên)

1 Chiến lược tham gia các khóa đào tạo và chương trình phát triển nghề nghiệp

2 Chiến lược sử dụng công nghệ một cách hiệu quả

3 Chiến lược tạo nhiều cơ hội thực hành kỹ năng nghe cho học sinh

4 Chiến lược lựa chọn thiết bị dạy nghe phù hợp

5 Chiến lược cho sự phản hồi và theo dõi sự tiến bộ của học sinh thường xuyên

Câu 5 Giữa các chiến lược vượt qua khó khăn trong quá trình dạy nghe đã liệt kê bên trên, thầy cô đồng ý với chiến lược nào? (Đối với phụ huynh)

1 Chiến lược hỗ trợ các con học ngoại khóa

2 Chiến lược thực hành kỹ năng nghe cùng con

3 Chiến lược hỗ trợ tài liệu tham khảo

4 Chiến lược thực hiện kiểm tra thường xuyên

Cảm ơn sự chia sẻ của các thầy cô!

APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS